CLEVELAND -- The city's first Wal-Mart opened today in Cleveland.

The doors opened at 8 a.m. at the Wal-Mart supercenter in Steelyard Commons.

Cleveland's first Wal-Mart is 217,000-square feet and features a full supermarket.

The store almost didn't come after City Council introduced legislation in 2005 that would have blocked the supercenter.

After Wal-Mart dropped its plans, the council dropped the legislation, leaving the door open for the permits to be filed a few months later and the supercenter to be built.

About 320,000 people live within 5 miles of the new store.

The developer, Mitch Schneider, said the store is secure for customers.

In the parking lot, there are more than 30 security cameras.

"What we've tried to do is provide a well-lit, bright parking lot good security and public safety so that people... They can come to Steelyard Commons and feel comfortable," Schneider said.

The store will employ 350 people. The store received 6,000 applications.